Fueling The Female Athlete: What You Need To Know

Fueling the Female Athlete: What You Need to Know

At Alpine Performance Labs, we talk a lot about training, recovery, and performance, but all of those depend on who the individual is and what they are doing to support themselves in and around their physical pursuits. 

While sport nutrition can be a confusing minefield of misinformation for us all, recommendations specific to females and their unique qualities have long been misrepresented. 

A wonderful research review published in 2023, Nutritional Concerns of the Female Athlete, highlights the specific physiological, hormonal, and nutritional challenges that female athletes face, as well as what every coach and athlete needs to know.

In short, female athletes are not just smaller male bodies, but have distinct nutritional needs shaped by physiology, hormones, and life stage. Ignoring those needs can lead to performance plateaus, hormonal disruption, or long-term health risks.

1. Energy Availability: The Foundation of Performance

The most critical issue for female athletes is low energy availability (LEA). LEA occurs when energy intake does not meet the combined demands of training and basic physiological function. It is the foundation of performance and health.

When energy intake chronically falls short, the body begins to make trade-offs:

• Hormonal imbalances, including disrupted menstrual cycles and reduced estrogen production
  
  
• Decreased bone mineral density and higher injury risk
  
  
• Impaired recovery, reduced training capacity, and plateaued performance
  
  

Together, these signs are known as Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). RED-S is not just a performance issue,it is a clinical health issue that influences both short and long term health. While recovery, training capacity, and long-term progression all depend on consistent energy availability

The bottom line: consistent, adequate fueling supports hormonal balance, recovery, and sustainable progress.

2. Macronutrient Balance: What Fuels the Work

Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source, especially for endurance and high-intensity training. Under-fueling on carbohydrates often leads to early fatigue, reduced power output, and slower recovery.

Protein plays an equally important role, not just in muscle repair, but in supporting immune function and maintaining lean mass. Female athletes typically benefit from 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day of protein, spaced evenly throughout the day and prioritized after training.

Fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, are vital for hormone regulation, joint health, and recovery from inflammation.  Restrictive eating strategies that limit fat too aggressively can impair energy, mood, and long-term hormone function.

3. Micronutrients: Small but Critical

Two nutrients consistently emerge as critical for female athletes: iron and calcium.

• Iron supports oxygen transport and energy metabolism. Low iron status, even without clinical anemia, can reduce endurance capacity and increase fatigue.
  
  
  • Calcium and Vitamin D work together to maintain bone health and prevent stress fractures. Female athletes with low estrogen or low energy availability are especially vulnerable to bone density loss.
    
    

  Other nutrients such as B-vitamins, magnesium, and zinc also play essential roles in recovery and energy metabolism.

  Monitoring these markers both through blood work and dietary assessment is key for high-performing female athletes.

  4. The Role of Hormones in Fueling and Performance

  Female athletes experience natural fluctuations in hormones across the menstrual cycle, which can influence training response, metabolism, and even hydration needs.

  • During the follicular phase, carbohydrate metabolism is more efficient, making it a great time for high-intensity work. 
    • However, resting glycogen (stored carbohydrate) is also reduced, potentially as a byproduct, but should be reinforced.
      
      
  • During the luteal phase, elevated progesterone can increase core temperature, fluid loss, and protein needs.

  BUT.

  Current evidence does not consistently support the idea that these fluctuations impair performance.

  While some athletes report subjective differences in energy or mood, recent research highlights that:

  • Physical performance is generally maintained across all menstrual phases
  • The impact is highly individual, and symptoms, not hormones alone, may drive training variability
  • Cycle tracking can still be useful, not to limit training, but to personalize recovery strategies, nutrition timing, and perceived exertion monitoring
    
    

  Rather than periodizing training around presumed weaknesses or the cycle itself, we encourage awareness without assumption. The goal is to empower athletes with better self-knowledge, so as not to overcorrect for normal physiology. 

  Supporting Research

  • Zinner, C., et al. (2025). Perceived impact of the menstrual cycle on sports performance in adolescent and adult women. European Journal of Sport Science.
    → Found no significant decline in performance during menstrual phases; individual perception varied.
    
    
  • Ronca, F., et al. (2025). Menstrual Cycle and Athletic Status Interact to Influence Symptoms, Mood, and Cognition in Females. Sports Medicine – Open.
    → While mild mood or cognition changes were reported, no performance decrement was consistently observed.
    
    
  • Reusch, L., et al. (2025). Exploring variations in sports motivation across menstrual cycle phases. Performance Enhancement & Health.
    → Motivational fluctuations were noted, but objective performance was unaffected.
    
    
  • Reinertz, N., & Crossland, B. (2025). Differences in Perceived Readiness to Train Between Two Menstrual Phases in Division II Athletes. IJESS.
    → Perceived readiness differed, but actual output remained stable.

  5. Practical Applications: What We Emphasize at APL

  At Alpine Performance Labs, our nutrition philosophy aligns with our training methodology.

  When working with female athletes, our coaches and consulting dietitians focus on:

  • Reinforcing the core fundamentals of caloric intake and overall energy availability.
    
    
  • Fueling before, during, and after sessions to support training quality and recovery.
    
    
  • Supporting supplementation where it is needed to either fill in the gaps of a whole foods diet or support training, performance and recovery.
    
    
  Educating athletes to understand their own energy needs and recovery cues.
  

  6. Expanded Summary of Recommendations from the Researchers

  Topic	ISSN Recommendation
  Energy Availability	Female athletes should prioritize achieving and maintaining adequate energy availability to support physiological functions and optimize health and performance. Low energy availability can result in RED-S and associated health consequences.
  Macronutrient Intake	Female athletes should consume sufficient carbohydrates to meet energy demands, particularly for moderate to high-intensity exercise. Carbohydrate needs may vary across the menstrual cycle and should be periodized accordingly.
  Protein Recommendations	A daily protein intake of 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg is recommended for female athletes to support muscle protein synthesis, recovery, and lean mass preservation, especially when energy availability is low or during specific phases of the menstrual cycle.
  Fat Intake	Dietary fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, should not be unduly restricted. Fat intake is important for hormone production, inflammatory regulation, and overall health.
  Iron Status	Female athletes are at higher risk of iron deficiency due to menstrual blood loss. Iron status should be monitored, and intake optimized through dietary sources or supplementation when necessary, even in the absence of anemia.
  Calcium & Vitamin D	Calcium and vitamin D are essential for bone health, particularly in athletes with low estrogen levels or menstrual dysfunction. Supplementation may be necessary when dietary intake is insufficient.
  Menstrual Cycle Considerations	Hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle can influence metabolism, fluid balance, and thermoregulation. Awareness of these changes can support informed adjustments in training and nutrition strategies.
  Omega-3 Fatty Acids	Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) may benefit cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation, and support cognitive and immune function in female athletes.
  Creatine Supplementation	Creatine supplementation may offer benefits in performance, cognitive function, and recovery. Its use is appropriate for female athletes, including those experiencing hormonal fluctuations or age-related estrogen decline.
  Supplementation Across Life Stages	Nutritional strategies should be adapted across life stages, including adolescence, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause, to meet changing physiological and hormonal demands.

  Coach’s Take

  “Health, performance, and training depend on the ability to balance inputs and outputs. Small decisions, repeated over time, build either giant mountains or deep valleys in your physiological state. Our job as coaches isn’t just about pushing the ceiling higher, it’s about making sure the floor is solid, stable, and strong.”

  The Big Picture

  Performance nutrition for the female athlete is about sustainable strategies and awareness of trends in recovery, energy and habits. When energy balance, macronutrients, and micronutrients align with training demands, athletes experience better strength gains, improved endurance, and greater resilience to injury.

  It’s not just about eating more; it’s about fueling strategically to support your physiology, performance, and longevity as an athlete.

  Interested in learning more about female-specific fueling strategies?